BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS (OPTICS & FIELD GUIDES) – This free two-hour “Birding for Beginners” class starts with a short session on field-guide basics and birding optics, from binoculars to spotting scopes. The class will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 13 at the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, followed by a nature walk in the park. The event is run by the Bergen County Audubon Society and hosted by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. To register, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or (201) 230-4983.

Looking for a new job? Local resident and founder of IPEAK, Robert P. de Tagle will lead a free two-part series on resume writing and interview skills. The workshops will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 30 in the Panasonic Meeting room at the Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center.

The purpose of the workshops is to assist local residents who are looking to find a job, change their career, or simply hone their networking and business communication skills. “In the first workshop, we will be talking about resumes—what makes one person’s resume shine, what should be avoided when creating your own resume, and how to use modern computer software and the Internet to format and send your resume,” said de Tagle.

The second workshop will focus on business communication, particular in networking and interviewing situations. “The purpose of the second workshop,” said de Tagle, “is to help attendees sharpen their conversational skills, identify optimal networking situations and use those opportunities to further their careers.”

Seating is limited, so registration is highly recommended. Each workshop is a standalone event, and can be registered for separately or together as a pair. To register, call the library at (201) 330-2083 or register using the online calendar at secaucuslibrary.org.

Mayor to speak to students at library on April 13

The Secaucus Public Library and INVNTR, a local company dedicated to providing science enrichment workshops for children, are partnering to host a special event for students in the library’s Panasonic Meeting Room at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. Mayor Michael Gonnelli and representatives from the environmental, fire, and police departments and the Office of Emergency Management will be talking to children about the how the town of Secaucus was affected by and responded to Hurricane Sandy.

This is a free, public event that was created as a companion program to the tuition-based science and engineering workshops developed and taught by Siddharth Saran, the founder of INVNTR. “All children are invited to attend, and will have the opportunity to ask the mayor and other emergency representatives about what it was like to prepare for the hurricane, how the events unfolded, how the storm and its aftermath impacted Secaucus, and how the town and the public can prepare for any future superstorms,” said Saran.

On display will be Secaucus’ environmental trailer, which can help children to understand the science behind the storm and how it impacts our particular environmental region.

While the discussion will be age-appropriate for students ages six to nine, also welcome to attend are children and teens of all ages, their parents and other adults. Registration is recommended and can be done by visiting the library’s online calendar at secaucuslibrary.org or calling the children’s department of the library at (201) 330-2084

Library holds used book sale, new children’s programs, and more

National Library Week is starting early this year at the Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center. While the American Library Association has designated Sunday, April 13 through Saturday, April 19 as a time to recognize the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support, the Secaucus Public Library kicked off its festivities on Thursday, April 10.

One of the highlights for adults is the Friends of the Library’s annual spring book sale, which runs until 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 13 and possibly longer if enough books and audiovisual items remain.

The Friends are also selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a deluxe Mother’s Day themed basket with a value of approximately $200. Raffle tickets are $1 each and can be purchased at the library. The winning ticket will be drawn at the next Friends of the Library general membership meeting, at 7 p.m. on May 8.

Two new programs for children will take place during National Library Week. On Tuesday, April 15 from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m., children’s book illustrator Betsy Franco Feeney will lead an environmental science related program for children ages four to eight years old based on her two most recent books, Hole in the Bottom of the Sea and Amoeba Hop. The interactive session will teach children scientific concepts using songs, flashcards and puppets.

The second workshop will launch a new series of nutrition and food preparation workshops for students ages six to ten, led by local resident Dr. Kalindi Bakshi, a chef who is also a trained neuroscientist with a PhD in life sciences. Children will learn about decoding nutritional labels, measuring ingredients, food groups, the science of calories, how a bite travels within your body, and how different foods impact their bodies. “Each workshop will end with delightful, healthy creations and yummy tasting sessions,” said Children’s Supervisor Cecilia Mucciolo. The workshops take place from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 and Thursday, April 24. Space is limited, and preference will be given to students who can attend both sessions. To register, visit the library’s online calendar at secaucuslibrary.org or call the children’s department at (201) 330-2084.

For more information about these or any other library programs, call the library at (201) 330-2083 or email Director Jenifer May at may@bccls.org

Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month Bird Walk with the NJMC and BCAS

Celebrate the end of income-tax-filing season with this Harrier Meadow spring bird walk in North Arlington on Tuesday, April 15. Participants will walk around the 70-acre natural area, which is normally closed to the public, and look for ospreys, early warblers and shorebirds, and a snipe or two. The walk starts at 10 a.m. at Harrier Meadow, on Disposal Road near Schuyler Avenue. (Note: There may be weekday construction vehicles on Valley Brook Avenue, so Harrier Meadow may be best reached by Schuyler Avenue.) The walk is sponsored by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute updates. Participants will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To RSVP, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or (201) 230-4983.

Preparations underway for renewed construction on American Dream

Three 500-foot-tall radio towers have been removed from the site of American Dream Meadowlands, the megamall previously known as Xanadu.

The removal clears the way for further construction on the site. Slated for the location is a 639,000-square-foot indoor water and amusement park, according to reports. Construction is expected to last 18 to 24 months.

The removal of the towers on April 1 follows a settlement between developers Triple Five and the Giants and Jets. The sports organizations had filed a lawsuit claiming that Triple Five’s plans to add amusement and water parks would result in traffic problems at MetLife Stadium during home games.

The lawsuit was dropped when a memorandum of understanding was signed earlier this year between the relevant parties, including NJ Transit and the NJ Turnpike Authority. Triple Five dropped a countersuit against the teams seeking damages for allegedly obstructing investment in the site.

Victory Terrace and Victory Sports Bar offer new entertainment options Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is racing into spring with the opening of Victory Terrace, a sprawling outdoor rooftop lounge on top of the $100 million dollar race track and entertainment complex in East Rutherford. Opening on April 25, Victory Terrace will offer table service, happy hour specials, and amazing city views.

Victory Sports Bar & Club features a “Vegas-style” sports bar with access to betting on live and simulcast races, as well as an event space suitable for private parties and family affairs, and a high-end nightclub that features DJs, graphical presentations, and special events throughout the year. The bar and club brings contemporary nightlife into a gaming environment and provides 100 foot ceilings, an enormous L.E.D. wall, eleven 12x20 foot TVs, and two oversized chandeliers, each holding three 60-inch flat screen TVs.

Customers can enjoy dining with table service, an extensive sushi menu, happy hour, and late night entertainment. “Friday Nights: Under the Lights” begins at 5 p.m. on Fridays, with a Top 40 music happy hour running until 9 p.m., then the party continues with Vocal House Anthems from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Club nights every Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. feature an array of renowned DJs including PS 1 and Chris Moody. Additional weekly entertainment will include stilt walkers, dancers, violinists, percussionists, robots, body paint specialists, and much more.

To make reservations or book a private event, call (201) 843-2446 or email catering@playmeadowlands.com

CarePoint funds projects to help young people and seniors

The CarePoint Health Foundation has awarded three local organizations $5,000 each to fund important projects to help young people and senior citizens in Hudson County. The three non-profit groups that received the donations were AngelaCARES, Concordia Learning Center and New City Kids. The donations represent a commitment on the part of CarePoint Health to reach out to the needs of patients and families in the communities served by Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital, and Hoboken University Medical Center.

AngelaCARES serves young people and senior citizens and is headquartered in Jersey City. Their Here4Seniors program provides direct services and wellness workshops to Hudson County seniors. Their programs include Thanksgiving dinners for the homebound, a yearly “Senior Prom,” and walking groups to encourage activity and socialization. Their workshops and seminars offer topics of interest to seniors including “Addiction and the Older Adult” and “Understanding the Changes Associated with Aging.”

Concordia Learning Center, located in Jersey City at St. Joseph’s School for the Blind, provides specialized services for children with multiple disabilities and is the only school for the blind in New Jersey. The CarePoint Health Foundation funded support for an on-line, ‘cloud-based’ standards-based curriculum for students with special needs. Individualized assessment tools, goals and resulting work plans are aligned with the Common Core Standards and the materials are adapted by the teachers to meet the needs of their students and families.

The mission of New City Kids, established in 2000 in Jersey City, is “Loving Kids for Change.” Their programs, including the After School Program for Academic Excellence, Teen Life Internship Program, summer camp and City Sail, are for children ages six through eighteen. Over the past six years, 90 percent of New City Kids alumni attended college or have graduated.